Page 40 of One Hellish Love

“Calm down, Rudra,” he whispered to himself, but it did nothing to ease the torment. What was this feeling? Why did it hurt so much? Hadn’t he suffered enough for 11 years? The years spent in juvenile detention were a nightmare—endless days surrounded by people who pushed him to his limits, manipulated and betrayed him, tortured him. He had nowhere to run, no escape.

A knock on the door jolted him from his thoughts. Lavina stood there, smiling.

“Hi,” she greeted, stepping inside. “You weren’t answering your phone.”

Rudra pulled his phone from his pocket. Five missed calls from Lavina. He had been too distracted to even notice.

“Sorry, I was preoccupied,” he muttered, sinking onto the recliner, his head heavy with thoughts.

Lavina gave him a sympathetic look.

“You always seem lost in your own mind. Sometimes, I get jealous. It’s like you forget the rest of the world exists.”

“Are you here to lecture me on that?” he asked, half-smiling, but there was no real warmth behind it.

“No,” she said, sitting beside him. “I came to talk about Tanuja’s birthday party tomorrow. She invited you, Shekhar, and some of the team working on her project. I wanted your thoughts on a gift for her.”

Rudra smirked. “Lavina Kundra, out of ideas? That’s a first.”

She chuckled, playfully nudging him. “Well, I have ideas. I just wanted to run them by you.”

“I’m not in the mood. Ask Shekhar Bhai,” he said dismissively.

“I did. But he’s as clueless as you. Are all Raheja men the same?” she teased.

“Probably,” he said with a half-hearted shrug. “So, what’s the big deal?”

Lavina stood, rolling her eyes. “Fine. I’ll ask someone who might actually help—Kashish. She’s always full of ideas. Bye!”

Rudra’s mood darkened as she left the room. Kashish was so easily accessible to everyone else but him. If only that terrible accident hadn’t happened. If he hadn’t been responsible for her father’s death, things could have been different. He could have approached her like any other man, won her over with his determination, his loyalty. If only he could erase that one tragic night from his life, his fate might have been completely different.

But he couldn’t erase it. It haunted him like a shadow, forever tainting any chance he had of being with her.

*****************

Everyone working at Raheja Designs for Tanuja’s project was buzzing with excitement about the birthday party invitation. It was going to be a grand event, the kind that everyone looked forward to. As Kashish sat in her cabin, engrossed in her sketches, a knock interrupted her concentration. Pallavi and Sanjay entered, grinning widely.

“Do you have a few minutes for us?” Pallavi asked.

Kashish waved them in, her pencil still poised over the paper.

“Had a good sleep last night?” Sanjay teased with a playful tone.

Kashish shot him a look. “Yes, I did. What’s up, guys?”

“We need to figure out the travel arrangements for tonight’s party,” Pallavi chimed in, excitement radiating off her. “The bosses and senior staff are heading in their cars. The rest of us need to make our own way.”

Kashish nodded. That was the reality of the hierarchy at Raheja Designs, and she was no exception. Even though Shekhar often offered her a ride, she had already declined, saying she’d go with the team. Besides, she didn’t have a car of her own.

“Alright, what are our options?” Kashish asked.

Sanjay quickly spoke up. “I’ve got my bike. You can ride with me.”

“That’s fine, but what about the others?” Kashish inquired, determined to ensure everyone was sorted.

Pallavi had already planned it all out. She listed everyone attending and who had vehicles. Just four girls would need to hire a cab.

“Sounds good,” Kashish said. “Make sure everyone’s informed.”

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